Thread: If you haven't been vaccinated against COVID-19 yet, now would be a good time

Just some quick thoughts on this I wanted to share. Please keep any misc-worthy comments out of this thread.

1. The delta variant is much more contagious than prior variants, likely due to a higher viral load being found in samples (1,000x higher by at least one study).

2. In the entire history of vaccines, approved and not approved, there has never been any vaccine that generated a new side-effect more than 2 months after it was given. There is no reason to think that would be any different with the COVID-19 vaccines.

3. The initial vaccine trials began >1 year ago, and the vaccines have been widely available to the general public for >7 months. Over 100 million people have gotten it. We are not seeing any evidence of a significant risk of adverse reactions to it.

4. If the vaccines were going to cause a significant reaction, which would likely be from expression of the spike protein and the immune response to this, there is no reason to think the same would not occur with COVID-19, with the big difference being that if you get actual COVID-19 your body will make many more proteins in addition to the spike protein and will also make then in many different areas of the body.

5. As contagious as the delta variant is, the question is changing from "should I get vaccinated or not" to "should I get exposed to COVID-19 with or without having already been vaccinated".

6. We have ample data now that the vaccines work extremely well. Yes, some people still get very sick and some people even die, but the percentage that do is much smaller than the percentage who do without getting vaccinated.

Conclusion: In my mind as a physician who has been discussing this with many other physicians for over a year now, there is no logical reason to wait any longer to get the vaccine. You will almost certainly get COVID-19 at some point if you do not and all signs point to the vaccine offering significant protection with very minimal risk.

Already had Covid.

I’m sweet.

Jeffrey, no thx.

Serious rebuttal: since the vaccine is now readily available and reliable beyond reasonable suspicion, and furthermore the vast majority of those at notable risk have already received it, why then does it behoove healthy people who are at low risk to receive it? That same group of people are also at low risk of complication from the actual virus itself, and would additionally self-quarantine if/once actually sick anyway, thereafter acquiring immunity.

I'm not vehemently against it and will most likely have to sooner or later for employment and travel purposes, but for the time being I am passively reluctant. What is the imperative? To protect those who are at risk and already vaccinated, themselves?

Originally Posted by EliKoehn

Serious rebuttal: since the vaccine is now readily available and reliable beyond reasonable suspicion, and furthermore the vast majority of those at notable risk have already received it, why then does it behoove healthy people who are at low risk to receive it? That same group of people are also at low risk of complication from the actual virus itself, and would additionally self-quarantine if/once actually sick anyway, thereafter acquiring immunity.

I'm not vehemently against it and will most likely have to sooner or later for employment and travel purposes, but for the time being I am passively reluctant. What is the imperative? To protect those who are at risk and already vaccinated, themselves?

The delta variant is hitting younger people harder. If you get the vaccine chances are that at most you will feel like crap for 1-2 days and have a sore arm for a couple days beyond that, and you may only feel bad after the 2nd dose (if you get a 2 dose series). If you get COVID-19 there is a much higher chance it will hit you for quite a bit longer. When I got COVID-19 (prior to getting vaccinated) for example, I couldn't get out of bed for a few days and even 12 days after symptom onset my heart rate would go up to 120 just walking around. I got the first dose of the vaccine 3 weeks after that point and I felt bad for no more than 36 hours (though my arm was quite sore for several days).

Originally Posted by Omni

Maybe Heisman can chime in on this, but isn't it also beneficial to get the population vaccinated to prevent the risk of it mutating into something much worse?

Yes, but unfortunately that has to be considered on a global perspective. Until we get more vaccines distributed across the globe that's going to continue to be a problem.

Originally Posted by Omni

I've been fully vaccinated since March and I don't regret it one bit. This is just my opinion and I respect everyone's choice. I currently had an employee call out all last week due to Covid, he is in his early 20's. Say's he is currently on day 6 and still feeling like death.

I also have another employee who is a collegiate football player and works for me as his summer job. He got Covid last fall and was deathly ill for 2 weeks. He is currently suffering the "long Covid" symptoms. he still has no sense of smell and says his lung capacity is significantly reduced to what it was prior to Covid.

To me, it came down to the potential long term effects of Covid versus a vaccine with very minimal side effects in most people. I felt like my odds receiving the vaccine and having no reaction/complications outweighed the possible risk of getting Covid itself.

Maybe Heisman can chime in on this, but isn't it also beneficial to get the population vaccinated to prevent the risk of it mutating into something much worse?

Viruses always will mutate, and in doing so only become more contagious, but less severe, in a virus where most people who had it didn’t even realize they were infected it to begin with.

Op which vaccine are your promoting?

Originally Posted by Heisman2

The delta variant is hitting younger people harder. If you get the vaccine chances are that at most you will feel like crap for 1-2 days and have a sore arm for a couple days beyond that, and you may only feel bad after the 2nd dose (if you get a 2 dose series). If you get COVID-19 there is a much higher chance it will hit you for quite a bit longer. When I got COVID-19 (prior to getting vaccinated) for example, I couldn't get out of bed for a few days and even 12 days after symptom onset my heart rate would go up to 120 just walking around. I got the first dose of the vaccine 3 weeks after that point and I felt bad for no more than 36 hours (though my arm was quite sore for several days).

Incidentally I woke up with a mildly sore throat and have wanted to sleep all day - though the fatigue is most likely attributable to heavy squats on a deficit, which tend to wipe me out anyway.

Hmm, I will consider it. I hate needles and faint every time I get stuck. The last time I got my blood drawn I was out cold for longer than normal and the nurse couldn't bring me back; when I came to the rest of the floor was involved in trying to wake me up. Felt terrible and oxygen-starved the whole day. I realize getting covid is a bigger deal but in my decision making metric, it plays a part when those at greatest risk are already vaccinated.

However, if I did get sick, I would get tested and if positive would quarantine.

Originally Posted by BlackJack619

Op which vaccine are your promoting?

Anything you have access to, though most people favor the mRNA vaccines as being more efficacious, though that could be due to the fact that they are in a 2 dose series. They seem to be holding up well against the variants.

Originally Posted by BeginnerGainz

Viruses always will mutate, and in doing so only become more contagious, but less severe, in a virus where most people who had it didn’t even realize they were infected it to begin with.

Usually they do mutate and become less severe but the delta variant thus far doesn't seem to be following that trend.

Originally Posted by EliKoehn

Incidentally I woke up with a mildly sore throat and have wanted to sleep all day - though the fatigue is most likely attributable to heavy squats on a deficit, which tend to wipe me out anyway.

Hmm, I will consider it. I hate needles and faint every time I get stuck. The last time I got my blood drawn I was out cold for longer than normal and the nurse couldn't bring me back; when I came to the rest of the floor was involved in trying to wake me up. Felt terrible and oxygen-starved the whole day. I realize getting covid is a bigger deal but in my decision making metric, it plays a part when those at greatest risk are already vaccinated.

However, if I did get sick, I would get tested and if positive would quarantine.

Maybe try to eat a lot of salt and drink a lot of water before getting the stick and then lay down while they do it?